Who are you the past whispered? I wasn't sure. Born in Montreal to French - Irish parents and moved to America at age 4, I wasn't able to connect with my roots. The past whispered again and I began my search. The search for my elusive great-grandparents took me to County Cavan, Ireland, northern France and Belgium. The Past Whispers...

TOC

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Q is for Quebec City

The crown jewel of French Canada, Québec City is one of North America’s
oldest and most magnificent settlements. Its picturesque Old Town is a
UNESCO World Heritage site, a living museum of narrow cobblestone
streets, 17th- and 18th-century houses and soaring church spires, with
the splendid Château Frontenac towering above it all. There’s more than a
glimmer of Old Europe in its classic bistros, sidewalk cafes and
manicured squares.

Panorama of Quebec City skyline - courtesy Martin St-Amant

The narrowing of the Saint Lawrence River proximate to the city's promontory, Cap-Diamant (Cape Diamond), and Lévis, on the opposite bank, provided the name given to the city, Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows". Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only fortified city walls remaining in the Americas north of Mexico.

Port of Quebec - Early 20th century

My Irish maternal great-grandfather and his family were mostly stevedores (longshoreman) and worked the timber wharves at Wolfe's Cove, QC, more about Wolfe's Cove in a later blog post.